Liquid-sealed valve.



ROSE. LIQUID SEALED VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 9, 1914.

Patented Feb 13, 1917.

INVENTOR [Oh 48 F056.

6 /W|TNESSES: /0 @OWM ATTORNEY {Quad 68 4M and State of the interiors of highly UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

EDWARD E. ROSE,

OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

. LIQUID-SEALED VALVE.

Sealed'Valves, of which the followingis apermit a free flow of gas from the container to the pump during evacuation, at-

the same time preventing leakage from the surrounding atmosphere, and that may be readily manipulated to cut off the free passage to the pump at the end of the evacuating process. Furthermore, I provide means whereby a liquid sealing medium may be admitted to the valve passages on the pump side after closure,.efl'ectively preventing the passage of gas to the interior of the container.

In the accompanying drawing, Figures "1 and 2 are views, in section, of my valve in the open and sealing conditions, respectively; andFigs. 3 and 4 are views, in plan, of the valve in the positions corresponding to Figs. 1 and 2, respectively. The section plane of Fig. 1 is shown by the broken line IIII in Fig. 3.

For the successful operation of vapor rectifier's and similar apparatus, it is essential that a vacuum of extremely high degree he produced and maintained Within the container. I have found that valves of the ordinary character composed of metal parts packed with oil are entirely inadequate to sever connection between the pump and the interior of the container, therethrough even with the very best construction, is sufiicient to impair the vacuum to a noticeable degree. 1

In United States patent to Sakai 1,001,455, dated August 22, 1911, and assigned to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, a structure is disclosed which obviates the above mentioned difiiculty in a simple and effective manner by providing means whereby the valve may be closed while the pump is running and liq- Specification of Letters Patent.

as the leakage Application filed June 9, 1914. Serial No. 844,105.

uid sealing means be inserted into the pas-- sages thereof on the pump side of the'valve, without opening a passage to the atmosphere. In the construction of the Sakai valve, however, it has been found quite difficult to grind the conical plug into the conicalseat in such a manner as to obtain a good fit. I Furthermore, in the Sakai con struction it isfound that, under high vacuum, the metaljbearing surfaces out each other with consequent impairment of the tlghtnes sof'the valve. It is well known in mechamcs, that the surfaces most easily fitted ,to each other are planes. I have found that, by constructing one member of porcelain or other vitreous material and the other member of metal, cutting and roughening are almost entirely avoided, even under high vacuum. By embodying both of these features in my valve, I have provided a structure which 'is 'cheapand simple in construction and highly effective in oper= ation.

Referring to the drawing, a body member 5 is sealed into the wall 6 of a container in any desired manner as, for'example, by the bolts 7 and a liquid seal 8. The upper surface of the body member 5 is ground to aperfectly plane seat 9. A passage 10 extends from the-interior of the container to a port 11 eccentrically disposed in the seat 9. A plug member 12 of highly vitrified Patented Feb. 13, 1917.

porcelain, or other suitable insulating gas tight material, is rotatably mounted upon the seat 9, and its lower surface is ground to a true plane in order to closely engage said seat. A pivotmember 13 projects into both members 5 and 12, at the central portions thereof, and centers the member 12 upon the member 5. A passage 14 extends from the center of the upper surface of the member 12 to a port in the lower face eccentrically disposed with respect to the pivot 13 to such a degree that. it is adapted .to register with port 11 when the member 12 is suitably ro- -tated. A compression member 15 bears on the upper surface of the member 12 and is forced downwardly thereupon by a spring 16 engaging a casing 17 which is attached to the body member 5 by bolts 18. The interior of the casing member 17 is filled with mercury, or other sealing fluid, in order to entirely submerge the plug member- 12 and prevent leakage over the bearing surfaces, thereof. The thrust member 15 is prevented passage 14 is then placed from rotation by a dowel 19 projecting thereinto and engaging the casing member 17, and the plug member 12 is centered, with respect to the thrust member .15, by a sleeve 21 engaging with each member. The thrust member 15 carries a tubular extension 20 that is adapted to be connected to a pump in any desired gas-tight manner. Two holes 22 are also provided in theupper surface of the plug member 12 in line with are shaped slots 23 cut in the thrust member 15. The arc shaped slots 23 are provided with upwardly extending arc shaped barrier members 24 which serve as guides for a suitable wrench which may be inserted-- therethrough and into the openings 22 'for the purpose of rotating the plug member 12.

The body member 9 is also provided with a passage 25 leading to a small port 26 'in the seat 9 and communicating with a suitable reservoir 27 by means of a tube 28. The

port 26 isso disposed with respect to the pivot 13 that, when the plug member 12 is rotated, the lower end of the passage 14 will come into alinement therewith, allowingthe flow of sealing fluid from the reservoir 27 into the passage 14.

Having thus described the structure of my valve, the method of manipulation is as follows: With the plug member 12 in the position shown in Fig. 1, and a pump connected to the tubular member 20, the container is exhausted to any desired degree. It will be observed (Fig. 3) that, when the plug member 12 is in this position, the openings 22 in the upper surface thereof are in alinement with the contra-clockwise ends of the arc shapedslots 23 in the thrust member 15. The desired vacuum having been obtained, a suitable wrench is inserted through the slots 23 into the openings 22 and the plug member 12 is turned to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4 where the passage 25 is in alinement with the port 14 and the openings 22 are in alinement with the clockwise ends of the are shaped slots 23. The pressure of the atmosphere on the upper surface of the sealing fluid in the reservoir 27 and the absence of gas pressure within the passage 14 cause the flow of sealing fluid into the latter in any desired amount. The plug member 12 is then rotated backwardly until the flat seat 9 completely covers the lower end of the passage 14, when the device may be left for any desired period without any appreciable leakage, member 17 and within the passage 14 effectively sealing all possible leakage paths.

When it is desired to readmit air to the interior of the container 6, atmospheric pressure is first admitted to the pipe 20, and the in alinement with the port 26, whereupon, gravity causes the flow of the sealing fluid from the passage 14 back to the reservoir 27. The plug memthe sealing fluid within theber 12 may then be turned so that the passage 14 is in alinement with the port 11, whereupon free communication with the interior of the container 6 is established.

Iclaim as my invention:

1. A valve comprising a body member, a rotatable plug member bearing thereupon in a flat surface, and means for introducing a sealing fluid into the fluid passage and for withdrawing it therefrom without opening said passage to the atmosphere.

2. A valve comprising a provided witha flat seat having a port therein, a plug member bearing on said flat seat, adapted to be rotated thereon and having a suitable port so located as to aline with -the port in the body member in one position of the plug member, fluid overlying the plug member.

3. valve comprising a body member provided with a flat. seat having a port therein, a plug member bearing on said fiat seat, and adapted to be rotated thereon, and having a suitable port so located as to aline with the port in. the body member in one position of the plug member, and a body of sealing fluid overlying the plug member, sa1d members being constructed of dissimilar materials.

4. valve comprising a body member provided with a flat seat having a port thereln, a plug member bearing on said plane seat, adapted to be rotated thereon, and having a suitable port so located as to aline w th the port in the body member in one posltion of the plug member, and a body of sealing fluid overlying the plug member, one of said members being formed from metal and the other of said members being formed from porcelain.

5. A valve comprising. a metallic body member provided with a flat seat having a port therein, a plug member of vitreous material bearing on said plane seat, adapted to be rotated thereon and having a suitable port so located as to aline with the port in the body member in one position of the plug member and a body of sealing fluid overlying the plug member.

6. valve comprising a body member provided with a plane seat having a main port and an auxiliaryport therein, a plug member bearing on said plane seat, adapted to be rotated thereon and having a suitable port so located as to aline with the main port in the body member in one position of the plug member and to aline with the auxiliary port in the body member in another position of the plug member, a body of sealing fluid covering the interior joint between the two members, and means for introducing sealing fluid through the auxiliary port to seal the.

body member 7. A valve comprising a body member provided with a plane seat having a port therein, a plug member bearing on said plane seat, adapted to be rotated thereon and having a suitable port so located as to aline with the port in the body member in one position of the plug member, a body of sealing fluid overlying the plug member, and means for filling one of said ports with sealing fluid when they are not in alinement and for removing said fluid before the ports are brought into alinement.

8. In a stop cock, the combination with a body member having a main passage and anauxiliary passage extending therethrough and having a plane seat onone side thereof,

each of the passages terminating atone end in said seat, of a plug member bearing upon said plane seat, rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the seat, and having a main passage extending therethrough, the ports at the seat being eccentrically disposed with respect to said axis, means for rotating the plug member so that, in one position, the

portv therein registers with the port of the main passage through the body member, in another position the port of the plug mem ber registers with the port of the auxiliary passage through the body member, and in another position the port in the plug member is closed by the plane seat, and means for introducing and withdrawing sealing fluid through the auxiliary passage.

9. The combination with a valve including fixed and movable members, each of which is provided with a port therethrough, of a reservoir containing sealing fluidand communicating with an auxiliary port in one of said members, and means whereby said movable member may be so turned that said auxiliary port will be brought into alinement with one of said main ports and said sealing fluid caused to flow into and seal said main port under the influence of the pressure of the medium within said main ort. p 10. The combination with a valve including fixed and movable members, each of which is provided with a port therethrough, of a reservoir containing sealing fluid and communicating with an auxiliary port in said fixed member, and means whereby said movable member may be so turned that said auxiliary port will be brought into aline ment with the main port therein and said main port will be sealed by fluid from said reservoir under the influence of the pressure of the medium within said port.

11. The combination with a valve including fixed and movable members, each of which is provided with a port therethrough, of a reservoir containing a sealing fluid subj ect to substantially constant pressure on the surface thereof, an auxiliary port in said fixed member, and means whereby said movable member may be so turned that the main port therein will aline with said auxiliary port and said fluid be drawn up to seal said main port when the pressure therein is less than that on the surface of the fluid in said reservoir.

'12. A combined closing and sealing valve comprising fixed and movable members, each of which is provided with a main port therethrough, said main ports being in alinement in the open position of the valve, a

reservoir containing a sealing fluid and subject to pressure greater than that existing Within said main port when it is desired to close the valve, an auxiliary port in said fixed member in connection with said fluid, and means whereby said movable member inay be turned to bring the port therein into alinement with said auxiliary port in order to force sealing fluid up thereinto and whereby said movable member may be further turned so that the port therein is closed and sealed.

13. In a valve, the combination with means for providing a fluid passage, of means for mechanically closing said passage and for sucking sealing liquid over said mechanical 16. In a valve, the combination with means I for providing a fluid passage, of means for.

mechanically closing said passage, for then admitting a sealing liquid over said mechanical closure and for then closing the path of entrance of said sealing liquid, and means for raising the pressure within the portion of said passage exposed to said sealing liquid, whereby, when said closing means is operated in the reverse direction, the sealing liquid is first permitted to escape and said fluid passage is then reopened.

17. In a valve, the combination with means for providing a fluid passage, said means comprising fixed and movable members provided with alining ports therethrough, of

means for turning said movable member to" first destroy said alinement and close said fluid passage, then to admit sealing liquid under the influence of external pressure and then to prevent the escape of said sealing liquid, and means for raising the pressure within the portion of said fluid passage exposed to said sealing liquid, whereby, when open, closed and sealing positions, the c'om-,

bination with a base member, provided'with a horizontally disposed seat, of a valve member mounted to rotate upon said seat and provided with a port therethrough eccentrically' disposed at its seated end and adapted to beplaced in communication with one portion of a fluid line at its other end, said seat being provided with two ports, eccentrically disposed with respect to the axis of rotation of said valve member, one of said ports being adapted to be placed in communication with the other portion of said fluid line and the remaining port being in communication with a reservoir of sealing liquid, and means whereby'said valve member may be turned so that the two fluid line ports are in registry for the open position, the valve port is in registry with the'sealing port for the sealing position and the valve port is closed by said seat in the closed valve position.

19. In a liquid-sealed valve arranged for open, closed and sealing positions, the combination with a base member provided with a horizontally disposed seat, of avalve member mounted to rotate upon said seat and provided with a port therethrough eccentrically disposed at its seated end and adapted to be placed in communication with one portion of a fluid line at its other end, said seat being provided with two ports, eccentrically disposed with respect to the axis of 'rotation of said valve member, one of said ports being adapted to be placed in communication with the-other portion ofsaid fluid line and the remaining port being in communication with a reservoir of sealing liquid, means whereby said valve member may be turned so that the two fluid line ports are in registry for the open position,

thevalve port is in registry w th the sealing port for the sealing position and the valve In testimony whereof, I have'hereunto subscribed my namethis 29th day of May,-

EDWARD E. ROSE.

Witnesses:

D. E. CARPENTER, B. B. HINES. 

